great point of prudence highly to value and love to kiss and admire this blessed Son of God. First Iesus Christ is the Son of God Kiss the Son he is the Son of God not by creation as the Angels are said to be his Sons but he is his Son by eternal generation Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightness of his glory and the express Image of his person Observe Jesus Christ is the Son of God for he is the brightness of his Fathers glory You know that the brightness that isâ—ues from the Sun is of the same nature with the Sun in the Firmament So Jesus Christ he is the brightness of his Father he is of the same nature with his Father as the Beams they are of the same nature with the Sun Therefore Christ speaks thus Iohn 14.9 He that hath seen me hath seen my Father Again observe Christ he is called the brightness of his Fathers glory The glory of the Sun in the Firmament it lies in the brightness of it So the incomparable glory of the Father doth most shine in Jesus Christ he is the brightness of his Fathers glory And this is enough to demonstrate to us that Christ is the very Son of God. And as Christ is the Son of God so he is a Royal Son he is a Son as he is a King I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion Psal. 2. Jesus Christ he is said in Scripture to be the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Rev. 1.5 All Kings they hold their Crowns by immediate Tenour from Jesus Christ Prov. 8.15 By me Princes reign So that Christ he is a Royal Son he is so a Son that he is a King. Indeed he hath the Titles given to him of a King. 1. He is called high and mighty Isa. 9.6 the mighty God. 2. As he is a King he hath his Ensigns of Royalty he hath his Sword Psal. 49.3 He hath his Scepter in his hand Heb. 1.8 3. Again Christ as he is King he hath his Prerogative Royal. As for instance he hath power to make Laws he hath power to pardon offenders which are Jewels belonging to the Crowns of Princes 4. Again he hath his Subjects and they are the most noble and excellent Subjects in the world in a threefold respect First All Christs Subjects are made free Iohn 18.36 His Subjects do fear him from an ingenuous principle of Love they do not serve Christ out of constraint but out of choice they are of a free noble spirit Secondly Christs Subjects they have the spirit of the Living God in them they have the in-dwelling of the Holy Ghost 2 Tim. 1.14 Thirdly All Christs Subjects they are of the Blood Royal of Heaven they are Kings Rev. 1.8 Thus you see Christ he is a Son and he is a King he hath his Subjects 5. Again Christ as King he hath his dominions There are some Princes have titles but they have not dominions But Christ hath dominions as well as titles of honour He hath Lands belonging to his Crown Christs dominions are famous for three things First They are large dominions God hath given him as King the uttermost parts of the Earth for his possession His Kingdom reaches all over the world Secondly Christs dominion is famous for its spirituality The Lord Jesus sets up his Throne and Kingdom where no other King can He rules the hearts of men he gives Laws in their Consciences he binds their Souls by his Laws Here 's the spirituality of his Kingdom Thirdly Here is the eternity of his Kingdom or Dominion Thy Throne O God! is for ever and ever Heb. 1.8 What King can say so It 's true he hath many Heirs for all Believers they are his Heirs yet he hath no Successors Earthly Crowns fade away tumble in the dirt and those that wear them Doth the Crown endure to all generations No there is a worm that feeds in this gold But Christs Throne it endures for ever As the Lord Jesus hath the largest possessions for so he hath and they shall endure for ever and ever And thus much for the Doctrinal part Jesus Christ he is the Son of God the brightness of his glory And he is a Royal Son he is so a Son as he is a King. Now to make some Application Use 1. First By way of Inference Is Jesus Christ the Son of God a King full of glory and majesty then it informs us thus much That all matters of fact must be brought before this Son of God. It is the Son of God his Royal Son by whom all Princes reign Learn from hence That all matter of fact must be brought before this Son. Christ he hath the power of life and death in his hand Iohn 5.22 Observe The Father hath committed all Iudgment all Government to the Son. That blessed Lord Jesus that once had a Reed put into his hand by way of scorn and contempt he shall shortly have a Royal Scepter put into his hand as some great King. That Jesus who once hung upon the Cross he shall shortly sit as Judge upon the Bench. God hath committed all Judgment to the Son. The whole world must shortly come before the Son. That 's the last and great Assize from whence there 's no Appeal This blessed Son of God is fitly qualified to be the Judge of the world in respect of these two things First Jesus Christ hath wisdom to understand all Causes he is the Son of God he is God therefore will search to the bottom of all Causes therefore he is described with seven Eyes to denote his Omnisciency to judge of things Jesus Christ he weighs the spirits of men as it were in a ballance Iob 16.2 He is said to weigh the spirit Christ doth not only judge matter of fact but he judges of mens hearts Many mens actions may seem in this world to be good but their hearts are not good 2 Chron. 25.2 Now Christ this great Judge he hath this Touchstone to try the heart Secondly Jesus Christ he hath not only wisdom but hath strength too whereby he is able to be revenged upon all his Enemies Therefore in Scripture it is remarkable that Christs seven Eyes they are said to be upon one Stone Seven Eyes upon one Stone to denote the infinite strength of Christ the power and mighty strength of Christ. As Christ hath his ballance so he hath his sword to cut off offenders He can easily strike through the Loins of his Enemies Psal. 110. Thus the Son of God this Royal Son he is to be Judge and all Causes and all Matters will be brought before his Judgment Seat. Christs Court is the highest Court of Judicature if men are once cast there there is no Appeal to any other Court. A second Use that I would make of this point is an Use of Exhortation and it hath three or four branches in it First If Jesus Christ be the Son of God so full of glory and majesty and shall
Christ by Faith it is hard it is not an easie matter It is easie to profess this Son of God but it is not easie to kiss this Son. That which makes this work of believing lies in these two things First Because man sets up the Idol of Self-righteousness he is apt to think he hath something of his own growth in him righteousness of his own his prayers his tears his alms he would make a Christ of them Instead of kissing the Son he doth idolize himself Man 's a proud piece of flesh he would see some worthiness in himself he would give part to himself and part to Christ he is loth to be beholden to grace only he would grow upon his own Root and not be grafted upon the Stock of Christs righteousness Rom. 10.3 Going about to establish a righteousness of their own they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. O! it 's wonderful to see a proud sinner humble to go out of himself to Christ for righteousness That 's one thing Secondly That which makes this work of believing so hard is this because believing it 's a work above the power of nature to produce it 's a work of supernatural infusing Iohn 6. v. 29. Faith is call'd the work of God It 's the work of God to believe Faith is a new Creation The creation of the world it is called the work of Gods finger but the creation of faith it is called the work of Gods arm The Lord doth as it were set all his strength awork It is called the exceeding greatness of his power Eph. 1.20 Surely to raise Christ from the dead required a great power he had a heavy Grave-stone laid upon him the sins of the whole world Why the same power God doth put forth in the producing of faith in the Soul so that this kissing of Christ by faith is not so easie as most do imagine Thirdly Where ever this blessed work of faith is it hath some virtue goes along with it it hath a refining consecrating virtue The kiss of faith it 's a holy kiss it purifies the heart and makes it holy Acts 15. Faith is in the heart as fire amongst metal it purifies it and takes away the dross A kiss of faith it has the same virtue as the touching of Christ by faith The Woman touched the hem of Christs garment by faith and immediately she receives healing virtue from that touch Mark 5.34 Thus faith touches Christ and heals True faith draws a sanctifying and a mortifying virtue from the Lord Jesus Justifying faith may be called a faith of spiritual miracles for it removes mountains of sins and throws them into Christs blood Whoever doth kiss the Son by faith he is presently made holy The truth is faith doth argue a man to holiness it falls to reasoning with him O my Soul hath Christ done so much for me hath he forgiven me so many debts hath he purchased such rich mercy in his blood and wilt thou abuse the Love of so dear a friend Wilt thou make the wounds of thy dear Saviour to bleed afresh is this to kiss the Son O my Soul how shouldst thou give up thy self to Christ in holiness And then faith reasons If that my tears will wash Christs feet wilt thou not pour them out If thy Estate be a precious Ointment wilt not thou pour out this Ointment upon part of Christs body and relieve his Members Now the Soul cannot withstand these melting reasons but presently yields to all Faith it is a holy gift it doth consecrate the heart where-ever it comes Fourthly To kiss the Son by faith it is the most excellent way of worshiping of him there 's nothing like believing Let me a little set forth to you the excellency of faith First This is the main thing the Scripture doth hold forth and press you to If one should be asked this Question Why the Scriptures were written The Answer is to point us to Christ the true Messiah and that we should embrace him by faith Iohn 20.31 These things are written that you might believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing you might have life through his name This is the marrow of the Gospel It 's the soveraign Cordial of a fainting Soul that by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ he may be saved Secondly This blessed believing kissing the Son by faith it is the most excellent of all graces it excels all others even as Gold among Metals Every grace is very lovely but this of faith excels them all Consider these four or five particulars First Faith is the uniting grace therefore this grace excels other graces conform us to Christ but faith unites us to Christ it espouses us to him Other graces make us like Christ but faith makes us one with Christ Other graces make us pictures of Christ but faith makes us branches of Christ. That 's one Secondly Faith it is the heart vital grace By kissing Christ we fetch life from him The just shall live by faith Hab. 2.4 By believing we fetch life from Christ I live by the faith of the Son of God saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 As the arm lives by drawing life from the heart so faith it lives by drawing life and strength from Christ. Other graces are useful but faith is vital Thirdly Faith it is the justifying grace therefore it is most excellent Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith It is not repentance that justifies nor self-denial but faith Faith it is the most proper grace of all to justifie a sinner for the hand is more fitter to receive the food than the eye so faith is the most proper to justifie because when we believe we don't give any thing to Christ but we fetch something from him Fourthly It is a world-conquering grace 1 Iohn 5.4 This is the victory over the world even our faith Faith overcomes all the allurements of the world the riches of the world the delights of the world and it doth it thus by shewing the Soul a better world than this is Faith gives it a prospect of prosperity it carries a Believer to the Mount of Transfiguration it makes it to see things that are not seen by the eye of sence Heb. 12.1 Faith leads the Soul to Christ the bright morning Star it gives the Soul a view of him and he is known in the embroidered Robes of his glory Faith shews a man a Kingdom it trades above the Moon and when once a Soul hath a shadow of these things it despises all the pleasures of this world Fifthly and lastly Faith is a suffering grace it inables us to wade thorow the deep waters of affliction Heb. 11.25 By faith Moses he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season Faith is a Furnace grace it gives the Soul a right notion of suffering What is this suffering saith faith it is but light
the contrary of it I argue thus If the Devil and horrour of Conscience be so dreadful then certainly inward peace of Conscience flowing from Christ must needs be very sweet to have Conscience vex and trouble it is as it 's well called a sharp fury Spira he had that inward horrour of Soul when he had sinned that he died with the fear and terrour of Hell in his Soul he thought Judgment less than that Now if the sting of Conscience be so bitter then the peace of Conscience must needs be sweet Hath God set thy Soul which was once like a troublesom Sea now to be calm and peaceable Oh! then sound thy Harp and Viol Admire this God sing forth praises and acclamations unto Christ this blessed Prince of Peace Lastly If Christ hath spoken peace if he hath dropt this blessed peace into your Souls then let me beseech you that you would be careful not to lose this Jewel Labour to preserve this peace in your Souls preserve your peace as you would preserve your lives And to that end First If you would preserve your peace take heed of Relapses they are dangerous Do not tamper any more with sin Dare not to feed sin in a corner Sin is the peace-breaker Psal. 85.8 The Lord will speak peace to his people But what follows but let them not return again to folly Let not them return again to their sins any more There is a great deal of folly in our relapsing from a strict and holy life Secondly Would you preserve this Jewel in your bosoms this blessed peace then make up your Accounts with God daily Often reckoning keeps God and Conscience friends Psal. 4.4 Commune with your own hearts that is call your selves to an account and make up your account make them even see how things stand betwixt God and your Souls observe your Affections whether they are lively examine your Evidences and see if there be no decay in your graces no loss of first love Oh! keep the Reckoning even betwixt God and you that 's the way to keep your peace Thirdly Walk closely with God every day Live as under the continual Inspection of Gods Omniscient Eye Live holily Peace and purity they go together The way to preserve our peace it is to preserve our Integrity Oh! keep your constant hours every day with God Turn your Closets into Temples Search the Scriptures The two Testaments are the two Lips by which God hath spoken to us Love the Word Love Prayer Love the Sabbath Psal. 119. v. 165. Great peace have they that love thy Law. Thus you may sweetly enjoy your selves and this Jewel of peace will be preserved in your bosoms SERMON IV. Psalm 2.12 Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him HOly David in the beginning of this Psalm shews us how all the powers and gallantry of the world do rage and confederate against the Lord and his anointed that is Christ verse 2. Rulers take counsel against the Lord and his Anointed That power which he did put into their hands they do imploy against him but their attempt is in vain In the first verse The people imagine a vain thing as if the holy Psalmist had said The Lord will have a Church in spite of Earth and Hell Matth. 16.18 The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it that is neither the Power of Hell nor the Policy of Hell shall prevail against his Church Neither the Serpents subtilty nor yet the Dragons fierceness shall prevail against it We read that the Ship in the Gospel was tossed on the Waves but was not overwhelmed The Ship was tossed because sin was in it but not overwhelmed because Christ was in it Christ is in the Ship of his Church and the more opposition is made against the Church of God the more it encreases It grows by opposition Exod. 1.12 The more they were afflicted the more they multiplied saith Chrysostom It is just like the Torch the more 't is beaten the more it flames Religion is that Phoenix that is always flourishing in the Ashes of Martyrs Therefore let the great ones conspire and take counsel against the Lord and his Christ they do imagine a vain thing In the 4th verse we read that when the wicked sit plotting God he smiles at them He that sits in the Heavens shall laugh at them God laughs to see mens folly to see poor weak Clay go to take head and to strive with the Potter But let the wicked remember that God is never more angry with them than when he laughs He will speak to 'em in a fair Language as you may read in verse 5. After his laughing then he shall speak to them in his wrath And what doth he say verse 6. Yet have I set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion In spite of all the powers of darkness Jesus Christ shall have a Throne to sit upon among his People And the Crown shall flourish upon his head I have set my King that is I have anointed Christ to be King and poured on him the Ointment of grace and gladness I will have my Son to reign and such as will not bow to his golden Scepter shall be broken with his Iron Rod verse 9. Then after this the Psalmist makes the Inference Before he had been making the Doctrine to Kings and great ones of the world and now he makes the Use in verse 10. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings Be instructed ye Iudges of the Earth Serve the Lord with fear As if he had said Come at last to your wits don't stand out any longer in contest with God and his Son Jesus Christ but rather bow to him throw your Crowns at his feet make your peace with him Serve the Lord with fear so the Text ushers in And it is a part of the good counsel the Holy Ghost gives Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way Kissing of the Son it denotes two things First Adoration It was an antient custom to kiss the Son when they admired Iob 31.27 So Ierom and others read the word Admire the Son. Adoration it is a Crown Jewel proper to Christ and to his Crown Admire the Son that 's the first Secondly Kissing the Son it denotes subjection So we find 1 Sam. 10.1 Samuel kissed Saul when he anointed him King He kissed him in token of homage and subjection to him So that 's the meaning of the Text Kiss the Son that is admire him The Text falls into these two parts First Here 's a duty Kiss the Son. Secondly The reason of it and that is very cogent lest he be angry So here are two Propositions do result from the words I shall only speak to the first and draw in the other in the Application Doct. 1. Iesus Christ is the Son of God. Doct. 2. It is a
currant of divine Joy runs into the Soul Here is Christs love to his Sheep he comforts them Thirdly Christ shews his love to his elect Sheep in that he shed his Blood for them Iohn 10.11 I lay down my Life for my Sheep The Death of the Shepherd is the Life of the Sheep Consider Christs death in a three-fold Notion 1. As it was painful 2. As it was voluntary 3. As it was Meritorous in all these ways he shews his love in dying for his Sheep First Look upon Christs death as painful if the torment of the body was so great Oh! What was the agony of the Soul The Lord Jesus Christ he was troden he was squeezed in the wine-press of his Fathers wrath the Evangelists use three Words worthy of observing to express Christs agony he began saith the Text to be amazed he began to faint Mat. 14.23 and he began to be exceeding sorrowful Mat. 26.37 He felt Hells torment in his Soul equivalent though not locally though Christ was anointed with the Holy Ghost though he was supported with the Deity though he was comforted with Angels from Heaven yet for all that he swate great drops of Blood the Text saith Oh! the love of Christ in dying for his Sheep Secondly Consider Christs Death as it was voluntary He did part with his Life freely It is true Christs death was necessary in regard of Gods decree but it was voluntary in this respect that Christ chearfully yielded to suffering Iohn 10.18 I lay down my Life the Iews could not have taken away his Life if he had not laid it down nothing could have forced Christ to have died for his Sheep but love Nothing could have bound him to the Cross but the golden chain of Love. Thirdly Consider Christs Death as it was Meritorious It is the inlet to all holy benediction it procures for us Justification of our Persons acceptance of our services access to the Throne of Grace it procures an entrance into the holy acceptable place of Heaven Heb. 3.19 Behold here is the Love of Christ in laying down his Life for his Sheep He hath purchased glorious things for us there was no way for the Sheep to live but by the Death of the Shepherd and for Christ Jesus to die as a Malefactor having the weight of so many sins lying upon him it was more than if all the Angels had been turned into dust Sixthly Christ is a better Shepherd than any other in that he can make all the care and pains that he takes with his Sheep to be successful which no other Shepherd can do other Shepherds they may lead the Sheep to the water or to the pasture but they cannot make the Sheep have a stomack they cannot make them have an appetite to feed they cannot make the pasture to nourish their Sheep but Christ our blessed Shepherd as he leads his Sheep into the pasture so he can cause an appetite in his Sheep to their food he can make them with a word speaking hunger and thirst after Righteousness Jesus Christ he provides pastures for his Sheep and he only can bless these pastures and make them nourishful to the Soul 1 Tim. 4.6 Nourished up in the Words of Faith Christ can bless the blessed Sacrament he can make the Elements thorow the operation of his Spirit to be spiritual growth and nourishment in his elect Sheep Thus he is a better Shepherd he can bless the pasture Seventhly Christ is a better Shepherd than any other in the World for he is a pattern and example to all his flock an example of meekness and of humility and sanctity he is a pattern for all his flock and in this sence observe Christ is said to go before his Sheep Iohn 10.34 how did he go before them that is by his holy Example 1 Pet. 2.21 For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps Ierom having read the religious Life of Delyan and what an excellent end he made now saith he Delyan shall be the example that I will follow So let all the Sheep of Christ say Jesus Christ he shall be the example that we will follow and imitate Christs Sheep go astray when they do not tread in the steps of their Shepherd the Lord Jesus Eighthly Christ is a better Shepherd than any other and far excels them In that he keeps his Sheep so fast in his hands that none can ever pluck them out Iohn 10.28 Neither can any man pluck them out of my hand Not one of Christs Sheep was ever lost a Shepherd though he is never so careful and vigilant yet sometimes a Sheep may go astray and be devoured by the Wolf but not one of Christs elect Sheep was ever lost Iohn 17.12 None of them are lost but the Son of Perdition Iudas was never given to Christ he was not a Sheep but a Goat none of his Sheep was ever lost Christs Sheep sometimes may go astray by errour and may fall into the acts of Sin as David but Christ will reduce them and bring them off again by speedy Repentance Christs Sheep they may be lame and faint and can hardly go but yet Christ he hath a care of the weak Sheep as well as the strong Sheep the bruised Reed he will not break the weakest Saint alive is so a Sheep that he is part of his Shepherd Christ and Believers are one the Sheep cannot perish but the Shepherd must perish likewise Ninthly Christ is a better Shepherd than any other in that he puts his Sheep into a better pasture at last takes them out of the Wilderness here the valley of Tears and transplants them into Paradice there to feed among the Lillies he gives them Eternal Life Iohn 10.28 I give unto them Eternal Life Christs Sheep may lose their golden Fleece men may rob them of their Wool and they may lose their lives for Christs sake I but Christ gives them Eternal Life Life is sweet but that word Eternal makes it far sweeter Eternal Life it doth consist in the fruition of all good things Life Beauty Strength Joy Perfection Eternity here is the excellency of our good Shepherd he gives his Sheep Eternal Life he will take them out of the Wilderness where are fiery Serpents and place them in Paradice and they shall feed among the Cherubims Thus I have shewed you how the Lord Jesus is resembled to a Shepherd and how he is a better Shepherd than any other Give leave to make some Application VSE the first Is the Lord Jesus Christ this great Shepherd which takes such care for his Flock and is he a better Shepherd than any other Then let us all labour to know our Shepherd here in the Text saith Christ I know my Sheep And I know them by Name I and I am known of them too Oh! Let us know our blessed Shepherd knowing of Christ is nothing else but believing in him in
but they are uncertain to us The Lord knows how long our Glass will be running for ought we know there is but a few Sands more to run life may expire in an instant when our breath goes out we know not whether we shall draw it in again ' It is true Hezekiah had a Lease sealed him of fifteen years but we have no such Lease we are Tenants at will and may be turned out presently our time of life is known to God but not to us therefore take heed of procrastinating and delaying death may be sent to any of you this night with a Habeas Corpus God may say Give an account of your Stewardships Secondly Is the time of our life appointed and the number of our days set why then this should teach us courage for God be not fearful of doing your duty to appear for God to own his Cause in an Idolatrous generation to vindicate Gods Truth wherein his glory is so concerned so the Text saith Our time is appointed Men can take away our Liberty when they will they shall not touch a hair of our heads till Gods time is come This made our blessed Saviour so zealous for his Fathers Honour so sharp in his Reproof against sin Whence was Christ so couragious Iohn 8.20 For his hour was not yet come Christ knew full well that all his Enemies could not take away his life till the time was come which his Father had appointed This should make us like Athanasius that Bulwark of the Nation Thirdly The third thing in the Text is Iob's holy Resolution I will wait till my change come that is I will wait till death come Hence note this Doct. That death whenever it comes it makes a great change First This change that death will make it is a certain change there is no avoiding it Psal. 89.48 What man is he that lives and shall not see death Heb. 9.27 It is not strength it is not courage it is not any worldly grandure can exempt from death deaths Sword cuts asunder the Royal Scepter The godly they must die as well as others Though death doth not destroy the treasure of Grace yet death breaks the Vessel that this treasure is in Pliny he speaks of a golden Vine that is not subject to storms The body of a Saint when glorified shall be be like that golden Vine but now it is a withering Vine and is soon blasted by death We are not so sure to lie down in our beds as we are to lie down in our graves Secondly The change that death makes it is a visible change how strangely is the body metamorphosed at death that one scarce knows their friends they are so disfigured by death the Eyes hollow the Jaws fallen death carries away all the goodly spoil of beauty it changes a living body into a carkass Psal. 39.11 Thou makest the beauty to consume like a Moth. Take a body of the finest spinning the Lilly and the Purple white and ruddy when once death as a Moth gets into it it consumes all the luster and glory of it Death puts the body into a very frightful dress that nothing can fall in love with it but the Worms Thirdly The change that death makes it is often a very sudden change death steals upon some unawares as one I have read of was suddenly choaked with the kernel of a Grape What quick dispatch do several distempers make death oftentimes strikes and gives no warning Fourthly and lastly The change that death makes it is an unalterable change As the Tree falls so it lies to eternity Death is a change that puts us into an unchangeable condition Application First See what a different change death makes to the Righteous and to the Wicked both are changed at death but there is a vast difference First Death makes a dreadful change to the Wicked it is a Trap-door to let them down to Hell. The Wicked that live here in gallantry and splendor that are clothed in Purple and fare deliciously every day oh but when death comes they will find an alteration Death will throw the Wicked down from the top of the pinacle of their honour Rev. 18.22 I allude to it The voice of the Harper shall be heard no more in thee There is a River in America that runs in the day but in the night it is dried up so these pleasures that now run in the life-time in a full current at the night of death shall all be dried up Nor will the ungodly only lose their suggared things but here is their misery their Souls must be steeped in the flames of Hell Mark 9.44 where the Worm dies not Such a fire is kindled in Gods anger that no tears can quench it nor no time can finish it We read that the Servant under the Law if he had a hard Master yet at the seven years end there was a Jubilee a year of Release when the Servant might go off from him but in Hell torments there is no year of Jubilee Rev. 9.6 Men shall seek death and shall not find it If a spark of Gods anger falling into a mans Conscience be so full of torture in this life oh then how terrible will it be to have the fire of Gods wrath to lie in for ever Thus you see death will be a sad change to the unrighteous Therefore surely the very thoughts of death must needs be terrible to a wicked man. Secondly It will be a glorious change to all Righteous persons they shall have their fetters of sin knockt off and shall drink of the Rivers of pleasure Oh blessed change from a weary Pilgrimage to a blessed Paradice from Labour to Eternal Rest. In short death to a Child of God it is a friend Death it is a pale Horse to carry a Believer home to his Fathers house Death gives a full possession of glory There is a Freehold in Law and there is a Freehold in Deed. A Believer now hath a Freehold in Law that is he hath a Right to Heaven but at death he hath a Freehold in Deed He makes Entry of it and takes Possession Death pulls down this old Building this House of Clay and prepares for the Soul a better House a House not made with hands Oh blessed change to the Righteous and this may be comfort in the death of Christian friends whenever they are changed by death they are sure to change for the better they go instantly into a blessed Eternity Second Use is of Exhortation Does death make such a change a certain change a visible change and sometimes a sudden change and an unalterable change Let us all labour to be fitted for this great change It is a very sad thing as Iob saith to have the grave ready for us and we not ready for the grave When death surprizes the unprepared Soul what a condition will he be in he will say as those Oh death I pray thee let me be excused one day more one
he doth not remit the sin but it will be sad with the sinner at last a sad hour at death the Body and Soul must part and Christ and the Soul must part There is no peace to the wicked saith my God. Can they have peace that strike against the Crown and Dignity of Heaven and make War with Christ and God and Heaven A second Use is of Tryal Use 2. Let us then search and examine Have we this secret and sweet peace in our Souls flowing from the Lord Jesus You may know it these three ways and they are three sure Notes that will never fail First Such as have Christs peace in their Souls they are ingrafted into Christ they are one with Christ. Mark the words of the Text In me peace First we must be in Christ before we can have peace from Christ in me Then peace The Graft or Scien must first be inoculated into the Tree before it receives sap and influence from the Tree We must by faith be inoculated into Christ before we can receive of his fulness The wicked they may presume to have peace and that they shall have peace and yet they are not acquainted with Christ. Do they think ever to have an Interest in Christs peace that have no Interest in Christs person it cannot be A Christless Soul hath no more to do to lay claim to Christs peace than a Woman hath to do to lay claim to a Mans Estate that was never married to him In me saith Christ First in Christ and then you shall have peace from Christ sacred peace it is a Legacy that Christ bequeaths he gives this Legacy not to strangers but to his friends such as are united to him First the Pipe must be laid to the Spring before it receives Water from the Spring so we must first by faith be united to Christ laid to this Spring by faith before we can receive the sweet influences of peace from him That 's the first Secondly Where ever Christ gives peace to any Soul there he always sets up his governing Scepter to bear sway in that Soul. A pregnant Scripture for this Isa. 9.7 Of his Government and Peace shall be no end First there must be Christs Government set up in the Soul before there is peace Whenever the Lord Jesus comes with an Olive branch of peace in his mouth he always comes with a Scepter in his hand A parallel Scripture for this Zech. 6.13 It is a promise of Christ He shall Sit and Rule and he shall be a Priest upon the Throne Observe Christ as a Priest he makes peace but he will be a Priest upon the Throne that is he will bring the heart where he gives peace into a full subjection to his Laws he will be a Priest upon his Throne Now let us examine Have we given subjection to Christ Jesus do we submit to his blessed Laws does Christ Sit and Rule in our hearts as a Priest upon his Throne then all is well There are many people would have Christ to speak peace to them but they will not suffer him to bear Rule they would have his Olive branch but they will not endure his Scepter Thirdly If Christ hath given us this blessed peace then we shall know it thus then he hath made us to be of a meek quiet and peaceable disposition Where ever Christ doth give his peace he makes the heart to be peaceable Isa. 11.6 The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid that is after grace is brought into a mans heart and Christ hath given him peace this man becomes of a peaceable and quiet disposition Now the Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb the fierceness of the Wolf shall be turned into the meekness of the Lamb. It was a saying of Bernard that good man he was a man of a peaceable spirit and at any time when some fell out with him saith he I will be at peace with you though you go on in trouble Such turbulent spirits that are troublers of the common peace they are like the Salamander that lives in the fire of Broyls and of Contention and they love to live in this fire Surely where Christ gives this peace it makes men of a peaceable spirit it turns the Brier into a Mirtle Tree So by this we may know whether Christ hath given us this peace or no. Third Vse is Hereditary And here I will turn my self to such as are acquainted with Christ and this blessed Peace First Have you this blessed peace from Christ then be not over-much troubled about the afflictions and incumbrances that are incident to this present life It is true our lives they are full of vicissitudes and troubles it will be so He that doth not expect some trouble must go out of the world Fear and grief are the two constant companions of Mans Life You may as well separate weight from Lead or moistness from the Air as trouble from the Life of Man. Doth not the Text say In the world you shall have tribulation But here is that which may sweeten the troubles of Gods People Christ gives peace Here is an Antidote against your fears and troubles and none like a Scripture Antidote That in me saith Christ ye might have peace This is a glorious peace indeed it is a peace that will hold out in a Storm and Tempest it turns a Prison into a Paradice it turns our Mourning into Musick it turns our Sighs into Songs and Triumphs As that holy man dated his Letter thus Written from the pleasant Garden of the Lion Prison David he had Christ prepared and therefore let the times be never so stormy he would lie down in peace Psal. 4.8 I will lay me down in peace It was a very tempestuous time David was flying from his Son Absolom Now saith David I will lay me down in peace I will take a nap and sleep sweetly upon this good Pillow of Conscience I will sleep in peace David he was in danger of losing two Jewels at once but there is a third Jewel he could not lose and that was a good Conscience I read of one that had a precious Stone and it was of that brightness that it made it be like the Ark when it was tossing upon the Water Let me allude to it If Jesus Christ hath given us this peace this will give light to the Soul when the Clouds do gather and thou art tossing upon the Waters of Affliction Secondly If Christ hath given thee a well grounded peace oh be thankful for this great gift No Rhetorick no Tongue of Angels can set it forth in all its glory Peace of Soul it makes a harmony in a Christian Though there be never so many discouragements in the world yet he enjoys a harmony in his own Soul. This inward peace it is the best still Musick That you may be thankful for this peace consider how sad it is to want this peace because this is
affliction 2 Cor. 4.17 18. The Cross is light in comparison of the Cross which Christ conformed to The Cross is light in comparison of the weight of glory and thus faith makes the Soul go through affliction Thirdly This kissing of Christ by faith pleases God more than any thing we can do besides it is better than to give God Rivers of Oil it is better than Sacrifice it is faith that pleases God this is the savoury meat which God loves to tast of And the reason why believing is thus pleasing to God is this because by believing we bring a righteousness into Gods presence which is perfectly meritorious We don't bring the righteousness of Adam into Court or the righteousness of Angels but we bring the righteousness of God and this is that which makes believing so pleasing to God. If then to kiss Christ by faith be the great work under the Gospel why then let us labour thus to kiss the Son of God by believing in him and puting and placing our full hope in him That 's the first thing Kiss him with a kiss of faith Secondly We must kiss the Son of God with a kiss of Love. Indeed Christ he is the wonder of beauty he is nothing but Love. God is love 1 Iohn 4.8 Christ hath that majesty in him which may draw reverence and he hath that mercy in him that may draw love to him The Lord Jesus he is a whole Paradice of delight why then kiss him with a kiss of love Let it be a sincere love 1 Cor. 16.21 Grace be with them that love the Lord Iesus in sincerity and truth Don't kiss him with a Iudas kiss to betray him but love him sincerely that is love his person more than Jewels Love Christ more for what he is than for what he hath and then love Christ with a superlative love a love above all things whatsoever Christ hath loved you more than others you that are Believers he hath loved you with such a love that he doth not bestow upon the wicked You have Electing love you have Adopting love let your love to Christ be such a love that none else but Christ may be a sharer that is give Christ a love that is joyned with adoration Don't only kiss Christ with your lips but worship him in your hearts That 's a second Kiss Christ with a kiss of Love he deserves your love most and he deserves your love best Thirdly Kiss Christ with a kiss of Obedience This is to kiss Christ when we submit to him when we obey his Laws when we are under his Jurisdiction There are many in the world give Christ a complemental kiss they seem devout and zealous they bow and cringe O but they don't obey the Son they kiss Christ as their Saviour but they will not submit to him as their Prince The truth is they would have Christ and their lusts together they would embrace his Promises but they will not obey his Commands O kiss the Son with a kiss of Subjection We should be like the Needle that points that way which the Loadstone draws Those persons that will not have Christs Laws to rule them they shall never have Christs Blood to save them Now to perswade you to kiss the Lord Jesus with a kiss of Obedience consider these two things 1. The first is in the Text lest he be angry Anger is not in Christ as a passion but anger is said to be in Christ as a displeasure in him And his punishing of offenders is the effect of his displeasure Who knows the power of his anger O therefore kiss the Son lest he be angry See that place in Rev. 6. v. 15. The Kings of the Earth the great men hid themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the Mountains and said to the Rocks and the Mountains Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sits on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Now the Lamb of God is turn'd into a Lion and therefore they cry out to the Rocks O hide us from the wrath of the Lamb He that hath no part in the Blood of the Lamb will have a part in the wrath of the Lamb. If you will not kiss the â—on and lie down at his feet and submit to him then you must fall into his hands and the Apostle saith It 's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God Heb. 10.31 It is good for to fall into his hands when he is a friend O but it 's sad to fall into his hands when he is an adversary God is the sweetest friend but he is the sourest enemy When but one spark of Gods wrath doth light upon a man it is so terrible what is it then to have the whole Furnace of his wrath How easily can the Lord Jesus crumble us to dust he can unpin the whole world O then kiss the Son lest he be angry The Mountains quake at his presence and will not the sinners heart quake Perhaps you think this Lion is not so fierce as he is painted Look into one Scripture Ezek. 22.14 Can thine heart endure or can thine hand be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee 2. Secondly If we kiss the Son by believing in him and by obeying him Christ will answer Love with Love he will smile upon us he will kiss us with the kisses of his mouth Cant. 1.8 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for his love is better than wine Christ will lay us for ever in his bosom and if we give him a kiss of Love he will give us a Crown of Life Rev. 2. The last Use. Here 's a word of terrour to wicked men instead of kissing the Son they disobey him dishonour him vex his Spirit do all they can to spite him They take counsel against the Lord and his Anointed Are there not many that do all they can to overturn Christs Interest they would stop the Conduit-pipes that transmit the Water of Life Rev. 17.14 They shall make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them Christ will get the Victory he will come off Conquerour Jesus Christ he will lay his Saints in his bosom but he will put his Enemies under his feet Psal. 110.1 I will make mine enemies my footstool Those that will not be ruled by Christs Royal Scepter his Scepter of grace they shall be broken by his Rod of Iron In short All those that do oppose Christ they shall be as so many ripe clusters of Grapes to be cast into the great Wine-press of Gods wrath and to be trodden by the Son of God till their blood squeezes out The Lord Jesus he shoots his Arrows very deep into the very hearts of his Enemies Psal. 54.5 His Arrows are sharp in the hearts of his Enemies The Persians they dip their Arrows in poison to kill more mortally So Jesus Christ he shoots his Arrows of poison and because they